Dave Bautista joins Guardians of the Galaxy as Drax the Destroyer

Director James Gunn (Super) has found his second Guardian, with The Hollywood Reporter revealing that former WWE star Dave Bautista has joined the cast of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy in the role of Drax the Destroyer – a human whose spirit is brought back from the dead and placed into a powerful new body in order to kill the Mad Titan, Thanos (in the comics, at least).

Bautista – whose acting credits include House of the Rising Sun, The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption, The Man with the Iron Fists and the upcoming sci-fi sequel Riddick - has secured the role of Drax ahead of competition from Jason Momoa (Bullet to the Head), Isaiah Mustafa (Madea’s Big Happy Family) and Brian Patrick Wade (Generation Kill). He becomes the second actor to join the film, with Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) announced as having secured the role of the Guardians’ leader Star-Lord last month.

Guardians of the Galaxy is currently scheduled for release on August 1st, 2014.